button eyes, clock hearts
by LuNaLoVeComiCs
Summary: coraline falls into wonderland along with cat, what would happen if the other mother finds her? what if the twins were the beldams victims to? all wonderland is alert a new threat is coming and its even more powerful than the jabberwalkie.
1. disclaimer

THIS IS A CLLLAB THAT I MADE WITH DCREED

WE OUN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT


	2. arrival and life story

It was a normal day around the Pink Palace; rainy looking. Coraline stretched in the muggy weather, fog coiling around her knees as she smiled up at the sun, a pale white ball behind the heavy clouds. When her family had moved her three years ago, she had found this weather incredibly...sluggish. Now she was used to it. Used to that, and the boring routine. But thanks to the 'incident', she never complained.

As she hopped down the steps and onto the muddy ground, she noticed an old friend curled up on a rotting log. She smiled at the old black cat as he got up to greet her, his electric blue eyes blinking. She scooped him up and rubbed him behind the ears, "Hello there Cat. How are you this morning?" Of course, he didn't answer. He had never answered her since the 'incident'.

Coraline, Cat in her arms, started on her way through the large, currently dead garden. She was currently on winter break, but there was no snow. It hardly ever snowed around here. Just more fog. The brunet girl couldn't help but yawn in the balmy weather, wondering what to do. Maybe she could visit Whybe?

As Coraline approached the old well, Cat jumped out of her arms, suddenly alarmed. Coraline tilted her head as she walked over to where Cat was sniffing in the tall weeds to find...a large hole? It was a lot like the old well, but this one was uncovered. Coraline knelt next to this hole and peered down. "...Well, it's probably just as deep as the old well. But what is it? It wasn't here before, was it Cat?" Cat shook his head in response. Though he couldn't talk to Coraline in this world, she had no doubt that the feline at least understood her.

Coraline picked up a near by pebble and dropped it into the hole. She waited...and waited...and waited...and still heard nothing. Cat twitched his ear and turned away from the hole, urging her to stand back as well. Coraline raised her brow, "What, are you bored already?" Cat shook his head and trotted a little away...he seemed...uncomfortable.

Coraline got up, thinking that she needed to show this to Whybe. But as she stood, her galoshes slipped in the mud and she flailed her arms out in a desperate attempt of keep her balance. But she tumbled down into the darkness, hearing the yowling of Cat above her.

And as she fell, Coraline couldn't help but wonder, 'was this what the Other Mother's hand felt like, all those years ago?'

Cat sighed and jumped into the darkness. Silly, clumsy girl. After what happened last time, couldn't she understand?! In this land, the curtains that separate her world from others are paper thin. Never go to unknown places (an certainty not down mysteriously appearing holes)! You never know what's on the other side of these walls or what their intentions to foreigners are. This is no bedtime story, this was real!

Well, they fell into the country of Joker, right? So that leaves...all the territories to decide... Hey, I know! Write all the territories down in squares on a sheet of paper. Then, close your eyes and drop a penny (or other small object). Where it lands, they land!

Coraline fell with a soft thump, much much softer than she'd thought, considering how long she'd been falling. She'd thought she'd be nothing but a smudge on the ground by now. "Ooowww, owy, ouch..." She rubbed at her tail bone. It was a softer landing than she'd thought, but it wasn't TOO gentle. She herd a soft thumping near her and a feline growl, "How many times must these things happen you clumsy girl?! Never EVER go to unknown places!" Cat scolded in his surprisingly deep voice. Coraline huffed and looked away, "I'm sorry Cat. I was curious and I fell..." Cat sighed in annoyance, 'Such a stubborn child...'

Coraline suddenly stiffened and pointed at Cat, "Hey, you can talk here!" Cat sniffed and licked his paw, "You forget; I ALWAYS talk. YOU just don't always UNDERSTAND." Coraline stood and looked about. They were...outside? But how?

"Cat...where is here?"

"Hey brother! Look, an intruder!"

Coraline and Cat turned to see two boys, identical aside from their blue vs. red eyes and uniforms, pointing large axes at Coraline.

Trying not to be intimidated, Coriline cleared her throat, "...Who are you?"

"I'm Tweedle Dee!" "And I'm Tweedle Dum!" Coraline tilted her head at the odd names, but she heard Cat hiss quietly at her feet.

"And don't worry," the once in blue, Dee, said. "Because you're pretty, we'll kill you painlessly!" The other one finished the sentence and they both hefted their axes, taking a menacing step towards Coraline.

Her mind spun as she tried to some up with some way out of this, but she was saved!

"DEE! DUM! What do you two think you're doing?!" Coraline and the Tweedle twins turned to see an older girl with long brown hair and blue dress running up to the fancy gates (that Coraline just noticed were there).

The twins' menacing demeanor vanished as they hug/tackled the girl, yelling, "Onee-chaaan! Did you come to visit us?"

The girl threw the two boys off of her, "No, I came to bring back the books I barrowed! And what do I find? You two terrorizing this poor little girl!" She turned from them, clearly angry, but put on a smile as she approached Coraline. "My name is Alice. And you are?" She threw a glare at the boys, "I doubt they were considerate enough to ask." They stayed silent but threw a puppy look at her.

"My name is Coraline Jones and this is Cat. May I ask were I am?" Coraline stooped down and picked up Cat as she said this.

Alice paused, and then a sunny grin spread on her face, "This is Wonderland- the country of Joker, to be exact. So you...you must be a foreigner!" Coraline nodded hesitantly, "Yeah...so what's your game? You going to eat me, just plain kill me, or keep me here as your slave?" The twins and Alice all stared at her with surprise and Cat sighed, "Coraline, I think that this girl is from your world as well. And I don't think that this is 'Wonderland' is like the Other world."

Alice and the twins stared at Cat, then back at Coraline, in shock. Coraline however, only looked down at the talking feline, "Maybe you're right Cat, but I don't feel like taking chances when it comes to other worlds. Fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice, shame on me."

Alice stared at Coraline, "What do you mean by that?!" "Before I explain anything, how do I get out of here?" Alice sighed, "Check your pockets." Coraline was confused, but did as she was told, and pulled out a black crystal vial with a white mask stopper.

Alice pointed to it, "You need to drink that. It'll help you get back." Cat hissed, but Coraline had already swallowed the clear contents of the vial before he could say anything. She gagged immediately and coughed, "Ewwww! That stuff tastes worse than Dad's tea!" The twins and Alice swear dropped while Cat glared angrily at the 15 year old girl, "CORALINE!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to waste the only-!"

"You should know better than to go drinking things from other dimensions that magically appeared in your pocket! This is the second time you've done something out of curiosity! Have you not heard the saying?!" Coraline sulked with a hurt expression, "Well, the nice lady from OUR world said it was the only way to get home..."

Alice stared at the strange, bickering duo and sighed, taking Coraline's shoulder, "Well Coraline, I suppose I should explain better. Now that you've taken the potion, you must participate in the game. The game is simply to interact with the role holders-or, more specifically, the people with faces. The people who don't have faces are called faceless and aren't important to winning the game. Here, life is not taken seriously because everybody as a clock for a heart, and each time somebody dies, their clock is repaired and they are 'replaced'. Which is pretty much them coming back to life with no memory of who they were. In Wonderland, there are six territories. The Circus and the Prison (the most dangerous places in Wonderland, so you'd do well to steer clear), the Clover Tower- the only real neutral territory in the three way power struggle, the Castle of Hearts, the Hatter Mansion, and the Amusement Park. It's the latter three of those that are fighting. Do you have all that?"

Coraline groaned at her own stupidity, 'How could I be so dense?! now I'm ONCE AGAIN trapped in a game loving death trap universe full of people who want me dead!' Cat sniffed and gave her an 'I told you so' look.

Coraline ignored Cat's look but slapped her forehead, "Oh, just perfect! Trapped in another game of life or death! I guess I should explain my story, right?" "Yay! Story time!" The twins cheered and dragged Alice, much to her displeasure, to sit in a circle around Coraline on the dirt ground in front of the gates.

"Alright, I'll give you all the abridged version. Three years ago, when I was twelve, me and my parents moved into the Pink Palace. Not as nice as it sounds, as it's not really a palace. It's just a really old, really big Victorian mansion that got divided up into apartment complexes. My family lived in the ground floor apartment. Not far from the apartment was this really deep well. I heard it was built a long time ago, and that it's so deep, that if you fell to the bottom and looked up, you'd see a sky full of stars in the middle of the day."

"Well, when we first moved into the house, I met the other tenants. Mrs. Spink and Forcible, who lived in the basement, and Mr. Bobinski, who lived in the attic. Oh, and I met Cat here and the grandson of the landlady, Whybe. And let me tell you, they're all wing nuts. Also, while I was exploring the house, I found the little door." Coraline and Cat both shuddered slightly. "I wanted to know what was on the other side, so my mom took out this black key and tore up the wallpaper. But, there was nothing on the other side but bricks. On the first night in the house, I woke up to see a mouse running in my room. I chased it down into the family room and saw that the little door was cracked. I pulled it all the way open...and there was a tunnel. Not bricks."

"I got curious...so I went through." Coraline took a deep breath, "I don't like to talk about this, so I'll keep it brief. On the other side of the door was a copy of my house, and there was a woman in the kitchen. She...looked a lot like my mother...except..." The listeners all leaned in, "...Except what?"

Coraline shifted uncomfortable, feeling that the Other Mother was behind her, staring at her, "...Except she had black buttons for eyes. She called herself my Other Mother. And then she had me fetch this guy who looked like my dad. Called him the Other Father. Then we had dinner. And...it was amazing. The best meal I've ever had."

"And then they took me up to my 'room' and that was amazing to. My real room was dull and plain, but that one was...incredible. They put me to bed and...I woke up in my real room."

"And the next night...I went back again. Everything in that world...was perfect. It wasn't boring, never dull, the Others all loved me and remembered my name... But then, I met Cat again. You see, he can't talk in my world. Or at least, I don't understand him. But I could in the Other world. He tried to warn me that the Other Mother wasn't perfect." Coraline glanced down at the silent feline meaningfully, "I should've listened to you."

"Anyways, after I went to bed, I woke up in my world again. And I woke up that night and when to the Other world. I saw a show that the ladies downstairs' Others put on for me, and then the Other Mother and Other Father took me up to the dining room...and gave me a present." Coraline shivered violently this time, "It was a thread, needle, and two black buttons." Alice's jaw gaped in dawning horror.

"They tried to convince me, but I said I needed to sleep on it. And I went to bed...but when I woke up, I was still there." Coraline, growing tired of talking about it, tried to finish it up as quickly as possible, "I met the ghosts of three other kids that she had lured and trapped in the Other world. The Other Mother did, I mean. The kids called her the Beldam. They told me that she had their eyes. And then the Other Whybe came and helped me escape back to my world. But my mom and dad weren't there."

"I found out that she had taken my parents, so...I went back. I had to! But there was a trap, she was waiting for me. When I got to the other side, she took the key and swallowed it. There's only one key, and as long as she had it, I was trapped. I made a deal with her; that I could find my parents and the eyes of the ghost children. She loved games. She couldn't refuse. And longer story shorter, I found all of eyes and met her in the Other family room. As one of the ghost kids warned me, she wouldn't have let me go even if I won."

"So, I said that she'd hidden my parents behind the door. She laughed and coughed up the key, opening the door. I remember what she said...'You're wrooong, Coraline. Now, you're going to stay here, FOREVER.' I threw Cat at her and he scratched out her button eyes." Coraline glanced down at Cat, "Again, sorry about that." "No matter."

"I grabbed the snow globe that she really hid my parents in and ran for the door. In the end I beat her. But that night, the ghost kids warned me in a dream that she wouldn't give up, because I still had the key. So I had to hide it. Somewhere she could never get it. So, in the middle of the night, I ran outside, to the old well, but as I was throwing it in, the Other Mothers severed hand came flying at me! It was alright though. Whybe showed up and together, me tossed the hand and the key down the well."

Coraline breathed deep as she finished her tale and the other three stared at her in shock and awe. Alice stood, "Well, it's no wonder you thought we might eat you! If I had experienced something like that, I wouldn't trust any of these psychos!"

"It is indeed and interesting story young lady. May I ask your name?" All heads spun to see two men. Coraline's eyebrows raised at the man in the top hat and the one with bunny ears. "Umm...U=I'm Coraline Jones."

The man smiled and graciously bowed, "Very well madam. My name is Blood Dupre. And this is Elliot March." The man pointed to his rabbit-like companion as he said the last part.

Coraline shook Blood's offered hand, "It's nice to meet you sir." Alice put her hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "So where are you staying Coraline?" Coraline wrinkled her nose, "I guess with you. I'm not trusting anybody here except you and Cat."

Alice smiled cheerily, "Well then, that's settled! It's getting late, so we should head back to the Clover Tower." Coraline nodded, deciding to just go with the flow for now, and said goodbye to the Hatters as they walked to the tower. Coraline and Alice chatted about random things, and Cat commented about how humans talk so much about such silly things.


	3. clover tower and dream

When they arrived at the tower, they heard yelling and shouting from within. "ALICE HELP ME! GRAY WANTS TO MAKE ME WOR AGAIN!" A man with silver hair and an eye patch practically tackled Alice to the ground as the three entered the tower. Alice shoved the man off of her, "Nightmare, you're scaring Coraline and Cat!"

The man pouted, "I'm sorry, but I don't want to work...wait a minute, did you say a cat?! Yes! Something to keep Gray busy!" The three outsiders raised a brow at that. (Cat raised his...cat brow.)

Cat hissed, "It's very rude to talk about your guests in third person while they are present!"

"Ah! This kitty can talk?!" Nightmare stared at the cat in Coraline's arms in wonder. Alice sighed, "Nightmare, you can read minds. This is Wonderland, right? It's normal for unexpected things to happen." Coraline looked up as two men approved, both looking annoyed.

The one with short blue hair and a tattoo of a lizard on his neck glared at the silver haired man, "Nightmare-sama, please stop slacking off." The other ma, with long blue hair in a ponytail, nodded, "And please stop shouting! I'll never finish my work!"

Nightmare gave them the same pouting face, "But look! I'm greeting the new outsiders!" Coraline scrunched her nose and waved one of her hands, "Hey buddy, don't drag me into this!" Cat hissed, "And you just want to use me as a distraction because I'm a CAT!"

The guy with the long hair looked at the other man and they both nodded. "Hey, that's mean!" Coraline stared at the apparently crazy man, who yelled that out of nowhere. The long haired man pulled a dark cloth out of his pocket and tied it around Nightmare's mouth, then dragged the struggling man away. The other one smiled at Coraline and Cat, "I'm sorry about that, but...who are you?" Alice pointed to each, "This is Coraline Jones and Cat. Cat, Coraline, this is Gray Ringmark.

Gray smiled warmly and Coraline felt slightly more at ease, "It's nice to meet you two. We were wondering if we could stay here till we finish the game."

Gray nodded understandingly, "Of course you can. And if you see Nightmare skulking about, please try to make him work! Or at least come and get me." Coraline nodded, "You got it." She was already coming up with ploys to make Nightmare work.

Coraline followed Gray up the tower steps to a plush room, Cat following at her feet. Coraline sat on the bed and bid Gray goodnight. Being the sucker that he is, Gray couldn't help but leave a can of salmon for Cat.

As she heard the man's footsteps disappear outside the door, she looked down at the feasting cat, "Cat, do you...do you think that the Other Mother can come to this world?" Cat looked up briefly from his delicious salmon, "I doubt it, but I wouldn't be too surprised. There are many holes between her world and others; the one in your apartment may not have been the only one large enough to pass through."

Not really comforted by Cat's answer, Coraline headed over to the dresser and changed, surprised to find that the night gown fit her perfectly. Coraline pulled the covers over herself, "Well...good night Cat." "Good night Coraline." The girl curled up under the comforter, "...I'm glad you're here Cat."

...

A feminine voice echoed through the colorful landscape, "Hello Coraline. Did you miss me darling?" Coraline snapped around to see the Other Mother, in her true form, standing too close for comfort (which was...anywhere). "What the hell are you doing here?!"

The Beldam grinned, showing of her deformed teeth, "Aww, can't a mother look after her baby?" Coraline stood and stumbled backwards, "You're not my mother!"

"GET OUT OF MY TERRITORY BELDAM!" Coraline snapped her head over to see Nightmare floating just behind her, looking shockingly threatening. The witch reached out for the girl, "I want my daughter back!" Nightmare yanked Coraline away and Beldam screeched, as it seemed she couldn't move closer. Nightmare smirked, "She isn't yours to take Beldam."

The Beldam screeched as she tried to reach for the terrified girl, "I need you Coraline! Please, come tom me!" Coraline gripped Nightmare's suit for dear life as the strange world around them crumbled.

"AAAHHHHHHH!" The smell of sweat and terror hung as Coraline woke, panting like a dog. Cat's head jerked up from the end of the bed, "Are you ok?" Coraline wrapped her arms around herself, "T...The Other Mother...Nightmare saved me...she's in my dreams...how?!" Tears rolled sown her cheeks as she let out an uncontrollable sob.

The door burst open as Gray, Alice, Nightmare, and the other guy with the blue hair rushed in.

"Coraline?! Are you alright?!" Alice ran to the crying girl and wrapped her in a hug, which Coraline gladly returned. She sobbed into the older girls nightgown, "She...she...she found me..."Gray and the other man looked at each other, puzzled.

Nightmare turned to the other two, "Gray, I believe I've mentioned it once of twice to you. The 'she' that Coraline is referring to, is the Beldam. She's the ruler of a small universe with a lot of power that's been pestering me for ages." Alice looked up form comforting the girl, "She had a bad experience with that thing...Coraline called her the Other Mother. She...she wanted to eat the poor girl, but she managed to get away and free the souls of some of children she'd trapped before. Both men nodded, wide eyed. They couldn't believe it, 'A powerful world crosser that eats children? Such a creature exists?'

Gray rubbed his forehead, "Nightmare, for once I give you permission to slack off. But only at night, so you can protect Coraline from...from...that thing!" Nightmare nodded, "That's not exactly slacking off though. The Beldam is powerful. But...she seemed weaker this time."

Nightmare put a hand on Coraline's shoulder, "Don't you worry Ms. Jones, that nasty old witch won't so much as put her foot in this world while I'm around. Ok?" Coraline nodded and Cat crawled up to sit with her. Nightmare sighed, "I don't understand why she's so obsessed with you though...there have been children who were taken from her reach before she could ensnare them." Cat arched his back as he yawned, "Who knows why the Beldam does anything. Perhaps she's starving, perhaps she really did love Coraline. More in the sense of a person loving a dog, but love none the less. Or perhaps both."

Coraline straight armed Alice away, "I-it doesn't' matter. She can't come while I'm awake, and Nightmare will protect me at night, right? So...it doesn't matter."

Alice brushed some of her hair out of the way, trying to find a way to change the subject. Then she smiled, "Coraline, why don't you get dressed and we'll go visit...Vivaldi! I'm sure she'll adore you!" The girl hesitated before nodded and then ushered all the older people out of her room before changing. Yick...all she had was her muddy swampers and clothes from yesterday. She didn't know how long she'd be in this world, so she supposed she'd have to find a way to get some clothes eventually.

She got her hair in presentable order, picked up Cat, and went to join Alice downstairs.


	4. heart castle and amusement park

Alice smiled at Coraline as the three left the tower. Coraline shifted, "So...who is Vivaldi, exactly?" Alice giggled, "She's the queen of hearts. She can seem a little harsh, but she really is a nice person who loves cute things."

Coraline gawped at her with wide eyes, "A queen?! Oh my God, I can't meet a queen looking like this! Look at me, I'm filthy!" Coraline started to prattle on about her attire while Cat sighed in annoyance, 'why do humans place so much on appearance?'

Alice smiled and patted Coraline's head, "Don't worry Coraline, she's very nice and maybe we can ask if she can give you some clothes." Coraline settled down at that, but she was still uncomfortable about the whole thing.

It wasn't too long before they got to the castle, and Coraline gaped at the gushy décor as they were led inside.

One of the faceless solders announced their arrival in the majestic throne room, "Your Majesty, Alice has arrived with guests!" Coraline looked to see a tall, beautiful woman with purple curls stand and rush to Alice, "Alice! You have not visited in so long!" She blinked, seeing Alice's 'guests'. "Oh? And who are these?" Alice smiled and pointed to each, "These are Coraline Jones and Cat."

The queen smiled and shook Coraline's hand, "It's very nice to meet you Coraline." Cat coughed, bringing attention to himself. Vivaldi raised her eyebrows in suprose at the apparently talking cat, but went with it, "And of course you as well Cat. We are Vivaldi, the queen of hearts."

"Vivaldi, I was wondering if you could give Coraline some clothes." She gestured to the muddy raincoat, "This is all she has." Vivaldi put her hand on her cheek and astonishment, "What?! No girl so cute should be forced to run about in muck-no offence meant dear-! Follow us!" The queen grabbed Coraline and dragged her up to her room.

...

Coraline sighed as she pulled the disgustingly frilly dress up over her head, "I...I really don't think this sort of thing suites me very well!" Alice pouted as she held up another pink, froofy dress, "What? Why?! You look so cute in them!" Vivaldi chuckled and confiscated the dress, "You've had your fun Alice; now it is our turn."

Vivaldi held out another dress, "Coraline has such pretty dark blue hair. She needs something to compliment, not contrast. Here, try this dear." Coraline gratefully took and pulled on the dark blue sun dress with a white ribbon across the middle and little white roses on the hem. She wasn't entirely sure how Vivaldi managed to come up with so many dresses that fit her perfectly in two seconds, but she felt that this was a world where it was better not to question things.

"I like this one better." Alice pouted while Vivaldi held out a pair of white sandals for her. As Coraline slipped them on, Vivaldi pulled out countless other dresses, ranging from light to dark, all in the blue and purple color scales and shoes to match. Coraline was a little flustered at Vivaldi's insistence that she take all of them, but the older woman wouldn't take no for an answer.

Then, out of nowhere, the words that Alice dreaded the most were heard.

"Alice, my dear! I heard that you were near!" Alice jumped as she heard the sound of the queen's room's doors banging open (thankfully, the girls were in Vivaldi's closet). Alice leaned over and whispered to the other girls, "Quick, hide me!" Vivaldi nodded, shoving all the frilly dresses that they made Coraline try on on-top of Alice. Peter White busted through the doors and his smiled turned into a frown, "Where is my Alice?"

"White, don't be rude! And knock before you enter a lady's quarters, would you?! This is Coraline and Cat. Coraline and Cat, this is our useless Prime Minister Peter White."

Coraline held up her hand awkwardly, not sure what this guy's deal was, "Hi?"

"Hello you two, now have you seen Alice?"

Coraline smiled as well as she could under the circumstance of being put on the spot, "She uhhh...went into town to buy stuff for Cat! Yeah, she left because Cat was hungry and wouldn't leave me alone!" Coraline chuckled nervously.

"Oh! Well, I'll catch her next time." And then the rabbit man left, much to the relief of others.

Cat looked to Coraline from the little stool he'd been sitting on, a dull look in his eyes, "Seriously?" Coraline glared at him, "Shut up! It was the first thing I could come up with!"

Vivaldi sighed, "Ok, you can come out now Alice." Alice emerged from the pile of dresses, shaking lace and petticoats off her. she grinned sunnily, "Thanks!" They gathered up the dresses that Coraline had approved and they said thank you to Vivaldi before departing. As they entered the maze, Alice carried Cat, petting him behind the ears, while Coraline carried the bag.

"Yo Alice! Who are these new little friends?" A voice rom above called. All three heads looked up at a guy with pink hair and cat ears who was perched on the wall. Alice smiled and called up, "Boris, these are Coraline and Cat!" She turned to said two, "Guys, this is Boris, the Cheshire cat."

Cat tilted his head up at the man, "A cat?" Boris' eyes widened and he grinned, hopping down, "Whoa, a talking cat? That's cool. So your name is just Cat?" Cat turned his nose up, "I don't see why humans feel the need to put names to everything. I'm me, and me is all I am." Boris hummed, "True, true...hey, you guys wanna go to the amusement park?"

Coraline looked at Boris, "There's and amusement park?" Alice and Boris nodded and Coraline grinned widely. Cat flinched as the girl yelled, "AWESOME! I WANNA RIDE THE ROLLAR COASTERS!" Alice laughed, "Ok, calm down Coraline." She turned to Boris, "Sure, we have time." Boris took a wrist from both girls and pulled them along, "Come on, I'll lead the way!" Cat groaned in annoyance, not sure what this park was, but sure it'd be loud and annoying. 'I'm only a cat, not a human baby sitter!'

After some running, they reached the colorful gates of the park and saw a man with ginger hair in a yellow coat. Boris waved and yelled, "Hey! Old man!

I brought Alice and some new outsiders!" The man turned and smiled at Coraline and Cat, trotted over to them, and stuck out his hand, "Hey there little lady, I'm Gowland!" Coraline shook his hand, grinning, "I'm Coraline, and-" "I'm Cat." Everyone looked at him, surprised. "What? I want to introduce myself sometimes."

Gowland quickly recovered from the shock of a talking cat, "Well then, it's nice to-" He was cut off by a squeak. They turned and saw Peirce being pinned down by Boris, the latter of which was holding a fork and knife. "Now then rat, calm down!"

"BORIS! Leave him alone!" Alice and Coraline both yelled in unison. Boris looked up, sighed, and got up with an annoyed expression. The boy with the green eyes and fuzzy round ears ran away with tears in his eyes.

Coraline looked at Alice in fright, "What he seriously going to eat that kid?!" Alice frowned, "Yeah...Peirce Villers is the Dormouse, and Boris is the cat. They...don't mix well." Coraline blinked and looked down at Cat, who was practically drooling, "CAT! Don't you even think about chasing that poor boy!"

Boris and Cat whined at the same time, "But it's in our nature!" The girls laughed and rolled their eyes at the far too compatible for Peirce's safety duo.

The group had a fun day of going of the roller coaster until they puked. (Well, Cat and Alice did. Coraline and Boris were laughing and betting on who would barf next.) But, after a long day of fun, the three had to say goodbye to the amusement park cast and headed back for the tower.

As she threw open the door, Alice announced, "Julius, Gray, Nightmare! We're back!" Nightmare looked up from the ground (where Gray had him pinned) and smiled, "Did you have fun?" Coraline grinned and held up the bag of clothes, "It was the awesomest day of my life!" She couldn't help but think, 'I haven't had this much fun since the incident'.

Coraline couldn't help but let out a yawn. Alice patted her shoulder, "Looks like you had a little too much fun, huh?" Coraline gave a weak glare, "There's no such thing as too much fun!" Gray chuckled as he tossed the writhing incubus over his shoulder. "Dinner is waiting for you three in the dining room. Good night."

The three all said night to the two as Gray hauled them off and they headed into the kitchen to see a plate of grilled chicken on a bed of pasta. Coraline's mouth watered as she sat down and started tucking in. She spotted an open can of tuna on the table and set it down for Cat, who was patiently waiting below.

While they were eating, Coraline mused, "...Hey, I didn't see that one guy with the ponytail. What's his name again?" Alice swallowed some pasta, "Julius. And it doesn't surprise me. Mr. Rapunzel almost never leaves his tower. Always work work work with that man." Coraline tilted her head, "What does he do?"

Alice slowed in her chewing, "Umm...remember what I told you about everybody here having clocks for heart? Well, when they die, the clocks are left behind and they're taken to Julius to be fixed." Coraline felt a small chill creep up her spine. That's right...everyone here had been so nice to her...it was easy to forget that they weren't like her.

Having polished off her plate, Coraline excused herself and stumbled up the stairs to her room, face planting into the bed. she was tired but...she couldn't help but be afraid. What if SHE was in her dreams again? Coraline blinked and shook her head. No. Even if she did come, Nightmare would protect her. She...she was safe here.

...Right?


	5. circus and fears

...

"Coralline!" The girl flinched and looked around, the colorful area of the dream world around her. "Coraline, we don't have much time!" Coraline blinked, recognizing the cute ghost girl with the braids. One of the ghost children?! What were they doing here?!

"W-what do you mean?!"

The boy appeared next to the little girl, "The key to the door is in Wonderland!" And instantly, the tall girl was next to him, "And there is a copy of the door in one of the territories!"

Coraline blinked and stared at them, feeling the tears coming on. "N...no, that's not possible. This can't be happening, it's over!"

The ghosts exchanged a sad look before the sweet ghost girl put her hand on Coraline's trembling shoulder, "We had to warn you. Please, be careful." And then they were gone. Coraline sank to her knees as the tears flowed freely. Each territory was big, so finding the door was a problem, but to find the key!? In this big, open world?! It was impossible!

Coraline stiffened as she felt arms wrap around her shoulders. She turned her head up to see Nightmare. He smiled down at her, "Don't you worry. We'll help you find that key, and the door!"

Coraline wiped at her tears and managed to give a smile, "T...Thank you Nightmare!"

Nightmare smiled and conjured up a happy dream for Coraline. A field with lots of flowers. The poor girl needed some happiness in this bleak situation. At least...at least until she woke up.

Coraline started awake and looked around, slightly confused. Then, remembering what had happened, she shook Cat awake, "Cat! the ghost kids where in my dream and they said that there was another door and that the key is somewhere in Wonderland!" Cat had to shake himself after that.

"...No wonder she appeared in your dreams. There is a way for her to access this world. Coraline...she might come back." Coraline shuddered and ran her hands through her hair, "I know, but why?!" "The Beldam lives off of children. Off of their love, and of their souls. It's simply what she does; she takes a child, loves it for a while, and then eats it when she grows bored of it. You were a prize that she lost, so I suppose she may be trying to reclaim her prize."

Coraline's widened in horror, "She'll come here! And then no one will be safe! Come on, we've got to find that key before she does!"

Coraline threw on the first outfit she found and raced out of her room with Cat hot on her heels. Nobody noticed as she and Cat left the tower. As Coraline and Cat walked, she noticed many arrow signs and warped doors on every tree. "Akkk!" Coraline landed on her hands and knees, trying to figure out what just happened. Cat sniffed, "Clumsy girl. Don't look so dazed, you tripped."

Coraline pulled herself to her feet, sneering at her slightly scraped palms, "Yeah, but on what?!" She looked down...and her eyes widened in horror. There, sticking out of the dirt, was a black iron button, tied through a hole with a piece of string.

Coraline fell back to her knees, dug out the object, and unearthed the terribly familiar item.

She swallowed and pulled the worn string around her neck, the key resting on her chest, "Well...we found the key. That wasn't too hard." Cat nodded, "Yes, but we can't start singing victory yet. We still need to find the door."

Both flinched and whipped around as they heard a rustling in the bushes near them.

A male voice echoed through the forest, "Are you lost miss?" A tall mad with red hair, dressed as a jester, stepped out of the brush. Coraline nodded hesitantly, "Y...yeah, I think I am." Cat put his ears down, "Calm down Coraline, the door may be near!"

"No way the little w***'s cat just f*** talked!" Coraline stared at the little mask on the man's hip. The clown man rubbed at his hair, "Now now Black, calm down. I'm sorry miss, but I'm White Joker and this is my counterpart, Black Joker." Coraline covered her mouth, rather astonished at the foul language. Her parents, no matter how angry they were, never swore in her presence.

"M...m-my name is...Coraline...and t-t-t-that's Cat." Catching on to the situation, White waved, "Please, try to ignore his mouth. He doesn't know how to speak without cussing."

Coraline nodded, still feeling awkward. White walked over and helped up off the ground, "Is there a way I can help you?"

"Yeah, actually. By any chance, have you seen a-" Coraline was interrupted by some nearby bickering.

"We need to keep looking for her! She might be in danger!" Coraline recognized Alice's worried voice.

"Ah, calm down Alice!" the blue headed girl frowned at the unknown, carefree voice. "Ace, this situation is dangerous! If Coraline tells the Jokers...they'll use it to they're advantage!"

Not liking where this conversation was going, Coraline ran forth, hollering, "Hey guys! I found the key!" All of the role holders and the foreigner girl turned to the little girl and grinned. (Pretty much all of the role holders were helping at Nightmare's request.)

White smiled from behind Coraline, "So, I see you brought your friends." Coraline looked back and up at him, "Well yeah, all though I have no idea who that Ace dude over there is."

Hmm...scary, huh? Well...maybe Coraline could see signs of the Other Mother's hand. Scratches on bark, hear rustling, and the like.

Coraline smiled and looked at the ground and looked up at the trees. Then, she froze and gasped in shock and terror as she stared frozen at a branch. There was a hand made of sewing needles perched in the leaves. As she stared, the role holders looked at each other, worried.

As Coraline stared, she felt her heart grow cold as a terrible fear overcame her. "D...d-Dee, D-d-Dum...is there a little door somewhere in the mansion?" Cat's eyes widened in horror as he looked a the two. Blinking, Dee tiled his head, "...Yes."

Coraline swallowed, "Have...you gone through?"

There was a long pause, before Dum answered, "...Yes. We did. Why?" Coraline felt a sob come to her throat and she turned to them, hugged the boys, and cried. The Other Mother didn't just find her. She found a pair of new victims.


	6. the meeting and bed news

Nightmare slapped his hand down on the table in the conference room to gain everyone's attention. "You all know the situation; Coraline and the twins are not to be left alone, at any times, under any circumstances. Do you all understand!?"

The twins groaned while everyone else nodded, "Why us?! We only went through once, and we're replicable, just like the rest of you." Nightmare glared at the two, "You fools! That obsessive old hag will never let you go! And, if she does get you, she'll won't just kill you! She'll rip apart your clocks and suck out your souls!"

Cat yawned from his place on the table in front of Coraline, "I propose that the three stay together at all times. ...Alice should stay with them as well; just in case the little miss here gets too curious."

Nightmare nodded, "Sounds like a plan. We will take turns protecting them in each territory, escorting them in between. Each territory, EXCEPT the mansion. that territory is currently off limits." He turned to Blood and Elliot, "Your workers can go to their homes, but you and Elliot will stay at the castle...seeing as they are the only territory that can tolerate you." Blood rolled his eyes, "Thank you so much."

Nightmare cleared his throat, "Until I figure out how to approach this, this is how things will be. Everybody...stay alert, stay ready...and stay safe."

Coraline and the twins were taken to a large room in the tower to spend the night. As the three sat in boredom, Alice finally came in and she, Coraline and Cat got down to the interrogation of the twins.

Coraline got right down to business, "Were you two the first ones to find the key?" Dee nodded, "Yeah, but we always locked the door after going in!" Dum nodded and added to that, "But one day, at a Circus event, we lost it!"

Alice tapped her chin, "...What was that world like?" Dee grinned, "It was amazing! The Other Boss and the Other Elliot were the one's guarding the gates and the Other Mother (she said that she owned the Other mansion) let us do whatever we wanted!" Dum nodded, "Yeah! And we could play killing games all we wanted and the Other Alice would be proud of us and clap when we killed someone!"

Alice shuddered at the thought, 'there's a copy of ME there?! And one that likes to watch death...' Alice questioned about the Other Alice, "...Just what about this Other me?" Dee shrugged, "Eh, she looked just like you, except she had black button eyes. And instead of living in that boring old tower, she lived in the Other mansion with the Other Mother, so she could play with us whenever we wanted." Dum jumped in, "B-but she couldn't replace you Onee-chan!"

Coraline crossed her arms in front of her, "Now wait a minute! How many Other's does she have over there?! Does everyone in Wonderland have an Other?!" Dum shrugged, "The only one's we saw were the Other Boss, Elliot and Alice. There weren't any faceless Others."

At Coraline's prodding, the two got back with the questions. Dum sighed, "We only went twice. We couldn't get the door open after we lost the key at the Joker's event."

The twins jumped off the bed and took up their axes, Coraline assuming her best fighting stance and Cat hissed loudly (Alice was standing in front of them as well as she could.) As soon as it started though, the scratching stopped. they all frowned and Alice slowly walked to the door, opening it just a crack. her eyes widened and she bent down, snatching up something and retreating to the others.

They all gathered around and stared down at the note in sickened horror.

It was a note. A white sheet of paper with a blue, red, teal, and black button sewn on it with thick black thread. The lettering was written in delicate, feminine cursive.

You think you're safe my dear,

you think you can escape.

But I'll make you taste

the bitter sweetness of my love yet.

You will be mine, Coraline,

and I'll take the outsider and twins to.

Now that we're all here, its time

to let the game begin.

I'll see you all soon my darling children.

With love,

your dear Mother.

Alice let the note drop from her cold fingers. "...She...she wants me to? Why?" Coraline swallowed and stepped on the note, giving a nervous chuckle, "I don't know, but you'd think she could come up with something more original than a love letter."

Cat looked up at Alice, "Aside from Coraline, you're the only being in this world with a heart. You're brave and have a strong spirit. Plus, if she has you, she can lure the rest of the role holders to her world." Everybody stared blankly for a moment.

The twins were the first to recover, "We need to get Nightmare!" Coraline held up her hand, "I have a better idea! I need to sleep!" Everyone (except Cat) looked at her with a puzzled expression as she kicked off her shoes and crawled into bed.

Coraline smiled as the ghost children appeared. The girl with the braids waved her hands, frantic, "It's not safe!" Coraline looked at her, startled, "What happened?!" The boy swallowed, "It isn't just the mansion; ALL of the territories have doors!" Coraline paled and the boy quickly added, "E-except the Joker's territory! That's the only safe place!"

The tall girl pointed to a small, familiar door that she conjured, "Find the doors in each territory with it's role holders to play the game." "You need to take all the targets, and not just any roll holder but the ones who live in that territory," said the cute girl.

Coraline nodded as the dream world crumbled, "Thank you!"

"-in..."

"-line..."

"CORALINE!" The bluenett started awake at the twins' yelling, tossed the blankets off of her, and scrambled to get her shoes on. Alice walked over, "Coraline, what's wrong?" Coraline looked up distractedly, "Umm...you all remember the ghost children from the story I told you? They've been in my dreams, helping me. And they just told me that the game the Other Mother's note was talking about was to find a little door in each territory with the role holders of that territory."

The children and Alice stared at her in shock- how would they find these doors? Alice sank to the edge of the bed, running her hand through her hair, "...You say there's a door in every territory now?" Coraline nodded, "All except the Jokers."

The twins turned to the door, "We need to find pirate!" Cat rolled his eyes, recalling his first meeting with the incubus, "He's probably slacking off."

"HEY, THAT'S MEAN! AND I'M NOT A PIRATE!" Everyone jumped at the random voice and Coraline ran over and opened the door. And, low and behold, there stood Nightmare! With a vain popping.

Alice huffed at him, "Nightmare, calm down. I think we deserve to joke a little bit." Cat sat up from his place on the bed, "There has been an important turn around in the situation." Coraline handed Nightmare the note and explained the situation.

Nightmare sighed and rubbed at his hair, "Yes, I understand...dear me, what a mess."


	7. roll holder surprize siblings survived

Suddenly, footsteps were heard and they all turned and saw a small girl with long, wavy pink hair and cat ears with violet eyes. She was wearing a cute, almost entirely pink outfit.

She smiled sweetly as she peaked around the door jamb, "Hey hey, have any of you guys seen my oni-san? I lost him after the meeting."

Nightmare blinked at her, "...Who the hell are you?"

The girl kept her cheery smile and pointed to herself, "I'm Onix Airay silly! The Bandersnatch! But just call me Nix."

Alice frowned at the girl, "Nix? Why haven't I met, or at least heard of you before?"

Nightmare stared at the little girl, "Because...the Bandersnatch doesn't even exist. It's just a story to scare kids!" He flinched as he heard a sob at the door. Alice and Coraline rushed to the pink, crying ten year old girl, "The pirate man is so mean! The Bandersnatch always existed!" The twins walked over and Dee poked her cheeks up into a smile, "Don't worry, we won't forget you!" Nix's false smile grew into a real smile and her tears quickly disappeared, "Yay! I've got new friends!" She grabbed their wrists, "Come on! Let's go find my Oni-san!"

Dang, Nix was fast. She exhibited cat like speed and agility as the group made their way to the amusement park.

Upon seeing a certain boy with pink hair, Nix brightened and speed up, nearly tackling him, "ONII-SAN!" Boris was startled, as an understatement. He stared at the little girl snuggling into his stomach, eyes wide, "...Nix?! I thought...I thought you...that you were..." He was speechless, so he knelt down and hugged her instead, letting a sob go on her small shoulder. The others stared at the two in shock and puzzlement off to the side.

Nix smiled and patted her big brothers head, "Don't worry Onii-san! I'm ok!"

Alice walked over to the two apparent siblings, "Umm...I didn't know you had a younger sister Boris." The twins ran over, frowns on their faces, "Yeah, why haven't we met her before?!"

Boris swiped at his eyes and picked up the small girl, "We all thought she had died in one of those shoot outs Blood had with Gowland. You hadn't arrived yet Alice, and it was before the twins and I started hanging out."

coralline frowned, thinking out loud, "But, if I remember correctly, she couldn't remember if her clock was repaired..." Nix put her hand in the air, "I remember because, like the Jokers, Jub Jub Bird, and Jabberwocky, I can't be killed!"

Everybody stared at her and then at Boris. Boris gaped at her, "...WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me?!" Nix tilted her head, "Because I thought you already knew."

Her violet eyes wandered before widening, "Hey, Peircey! Do you have any cheese?!" Peirce's head came out of the bushes, his eyes wide, "N-n-n-n-Nix?! I thought you were...y-yeah, I always bring some of your favorite since the...incident." The girl jumped out of Boris' arms and glomped Peirce, "Yay! Give me cheese!"

Peirce smiled and was about to...when he froze, a gun to his head. "Give my little sister anything, and I'll be serving rat stew for dinner." "Yipe!" And with that, Boris was chasing Peirce out of sight. Nix looked after them, her eyes wide, "Onii-san! Where are you going?!"

Coraline gaped and yelled as her feline friend tore off after the poor dormouse as well, "CAT!" They all stared for a moment. "Should we...take chase?" Coraline asked.

"Yeah!" was the unanimous answer and they all ran after the cat and mouse. It wasn't long before the victim ran head long into somebody, the chasers coming to a stop behind them.

"Oh Peirce! Don't tell me that Boris was chasing you again?" The female voice chuckled and the owner wagged her finger at Boris and Cat, "Aww, naughty kitties!" Boris and Peirce gaped at the jester girl that looked rather like the Jokers aside from a difference of hair, hers being in a side pony tail that reached her waist.

A small mask from the belt on the girl's hip yelled out in an identical voice, "Yo Boris, don't you remember that we f*** warned you that if you kept on f*** chasing after Peirce's a** that we would do the same?!"

Both role holders pointed in shock, "J-j-j-j-Jabberwocky?!"

"The one and only f***ers, Barbie girl, outsider and neko-chan!" The girl that was present smiled, totally ignoring the mask. Alice looked at the strange girl, "Who's the Jabberwocky?" The jester girl made a flourish gesture, "Well, we are the Joker's twin of coarse!" "So be sure to remember it!"

The jester girl looked down at a pocket watch she had, "Hmm...if you'll all excuse me, it's time that brother dear knew I was back." And with that, the girl was gone, probably into the prison realm.

Coraline stared at where she had been and looked to Alice, "Wait, which one of us is Barbie girl?"

Nix pointed, "Alice!" They stared at her, "...What?!" Nix held up her finger and explained matter of factually, "You see, she used to play with me and we would mutilate or design barbies, and since you look like one and have the attitude that she would conceder a toy, she called you Barbie girl." A vein popped on Alice's head and Coraline sensed danger, so she changed the subject as fast as she could, "So...how are we going to get out of here?"

"I'm telling you Ace, your short cuts don't exist! How many times do I have to tell you that?! You're lucky I can't make my wings appear in this attire cause would take off and leave you!" All heads turned to the approaching knight and his new little friend.

"Aww Julie, you're so mean. You need to relax and give me a kiss~! Or even marry me!" The girl the knight was talking to had long navy blue hair in low pigtails, a purple cloak with a clock pattern swishing at her heels.

"Hey look Julie! There's the outsiders, Mr. Kitty Cat and Mr. Mousey! And...NIX! I'VE MISSED YOU! DO YOU RMEMBER WHEN WE HAD FUN TOGETHER?!" Nix's eyes widened in horror and -POP- she was a little pink cat hiding in Peirce's coat.

Julie grabbed Ace's jacket to stop him, "Ace! Stop saying nonsense!" She turned and smiled softly to the others, "I'm sorry, but my name is Julie Monery and I believe I haven't met you outsiders before."

Alice had to grip her head, 'So many random role holders that I've never heard of but are apparently the siblings of my friends in so little time!'


	8. 3 slaves, dark secrets reavealed

Coraline waved, "I'm Coraline and this is Cat." Julie nodded, "It's nice to meet you. Do you need help?" Cat nodded, "If you please, this delicious mouse made us get lost." And for once, a role holder didn't have any reaction to a talking cat. She just nodded, "Of course. Follow me."

Ace pointed in a random direction. "But the tower is-" "HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I TELL YOU, YOU USELESS KNIGHT?! THERE ARE NO D*** SHORTCUTS!"

Coraline slowed down so she could keep pace with Peirce and Nix, "Hey Nix, why are you scared of Ace?"

Nix fiddled with her bubble gum pink skirt, "...We played a game where he put his hands under my clothes. I told him to stop but he didn't want to, so I knocked him out and ran away. But only Peirce, Julie and Ace know about this, so don't tell Onii-san!" said Nix between sobs as Peirce cradled her in his arms. But Nix couldn't help but think 'I hope SHE said the truth and protects our siblings from any harm'

After a while, they arrived at the tower and Julie ran up the stairs and threw her brothers door open. Julius looked up...and dropped the clock he'd been working on. He jumped back and his chair toppled over, but he didn't seem to notice. He pointed at her, "J-j-j-ju-Julie...h-how are you...?!"

Julie silenced him by running over and jump hugging him, "I'm back Big Brother!" Julius was stock still as he stared wide eyed at the girl, "B-b-but you're...but you're dead!" She looked up and frowned at him, "Big Brother, do I look dead to you?"

Julius shook his head in response, still dumbstruck. Julie smiled and pulled back, "Well, I'm alive brother...hey, is...HE...still here?" A small blush spread across her face. Julius recovered from the shock and smiled, rubbing his sister's hair, "Yeah, he's still here. Hello Gray and Nightmare." Julie straightened and turned to the others, startled. Julius smirked and pinched Julie's cheek, "And you should be careful Gray. Birds can eat lizards."

Everybody's eyes almost popped from their sockets (except Nix's); JULIUS MONERY JUST SMIRKED AND TEASED HIS SISTER?!

Julie batted his hands away, "Stop it!"

Nix sighed, bored with the display, and leaned over to Boris' ear, "Umm...Onii-san, Peirce, can we go now? I don't want to be around Ace."

"Hey guys, we're leaving! We need to tell the old man the good news." said Boris as he cradled his sister and dragged Pierce by the collar.

When they returned to their rooms, Alice, Coraline, the twins and cat found yet another note; the same bottons that they had seen before (check the meeting and bad news chapter) attached, and three bloody clocks laying on the bed.

Coraline gulped and picked up the note, "...Locked in my world are the souls of three girls. They all serve me and will bring you to me. Don't think that you're safe. I'll get you my children. I'll get you. ...The Other Mother loves you."

They all stood frozen in the center of the room and Coraline started to sob. Alice screamed, grabbed the note, and tore it into pieces as the twins fell to the edge of the bed, looking distraught. Cat jumped up, "Calm down everyone!"

Dum looked up, "Jabberwocky, Julie and Nix...they work for her?" Dee nodded, "Who else would it be? Them, randomly appearing after all this time..." Coraline rubbed at her eyes, "So...so what do we do?" Alice started pacing the length of the room, "...We can't tell the other's about this. Her slaves or not, those girls are their little sisters. Boris, Joker and Julius...they'd be heartbroken." Cat nodded, "Yes, and there may still be a way to free them from her clutches...but how?"

Coraline huffed, "That's obvious enough. We kill her. ...So we're back to square one."

Hearing the cries, Julius, Nightmare Julie, and Gray all burst into the room. Julies's eyes widened as she saw the buttons and clocks. She reached out to grasp the gold chains of the clocks, but they disappeared.

She stared at where they had been and curled her hand into a tight fist. 'Why...why would she put them there?! They were so close!'

Nightmare pulled Alice into the hallway while Julius and Gray guarded the room doors outside. Julie was about to leave when the twins tackled her, pinning her to the ground. Coraline sat on her legs, glaring harshly. Julie's eyes widened in fright as Coraline asked the first question, "What does the Beldam want?!"

Julie gulped, "So...you guys know?" Dee nodded and Coraline told them to tighten their grip, "Don't evade the question! What does she want?!" Julie winched in pain, "OW! She want you! All of you!" Dum pinched her arm, "Why are you working for her?"

Julie hissed in pain, "Ow, easy there! And watch where you're touching! We don't have a choice! She's got our clocks!"

Coraline felt a pang of pity for this poor creature. "...Do you know how to kill her?"

Julie shook her head slowly, and spoke in a whisper, "No..the only one who knows is Nix, but she fears the Beldam the most. If we are ever free, only Nix will stay her servant. Why? Because she's a child and the Beldam wants all the children with faces and clocks. She'll take any person who has a heart and take over Wonderland at last. ...Please, I'm begging you, don't tell. Please!"

Coraline stared down at the pathetic girl, her life balancing between the hands of children and a monster, "...Don't worry Julie. We'll free you, and your friends."

Julie's hand flew to her chest as she started to sputter, he voice a raspy whisper, "I...I talked to much! She's going to punish me!" The twins layed her on the bed and ran to the door.

"JULIUS, GRAY, HELP! JULIE'S SICK!" they screamed, desperately trying to attract the two men's attention. As Julius and Gray entered the room, Julie suddenly let out a blood curling scream, "HELPME! SHE'S GOING TO TAKE ME BACK! PLEASE!"

But before anything else could happen, Julie had disappeared before their very eyes.


	9. the bandersnatchsecrets

They stood, frozen at the scene until Nightmare and Alice entered, the former reading each and every mind. "What the hell happened?!" he asked/yelled. Coraline gave him handed him the buttons and recited the note.

"Now there's a pair for each of them. Alice's are teal, Dee's are blue, Dum's are red, and Coraline's are black. ...We need to ask Nix about all this" said Cat from his place on the edge of the bed. Nightmare stared at them, unable to believe what he had just heard.

Coraline threw her hand up in the air, "But how?! That little girl hides a lot of secrets! Her entire life is one big dark secret! Not even her big brother knows about her deepest secrets!"

"How do you know this Coraline?" asked Alice. "Yeah, how could the Bandersnatch hide a bunch of secrets? She's only a little girl!"said the twins.

Coraline crossed her arms and turned to the incubus, "And a scaredy cat to boot. Nightmare, when she got here, could you read her mind?" Nightmare rubbed at his temples, "Now that you mention it; no. I couldn't."

"That's because she hides her secrets. For example, she was almost raped by Ace once" Coraline said as factually as she could. Everyone's eyes widened to saucer size.

"The worst part is that only me, Ace, Pierce and Julie know about it!"said Coraline added.

Alice slapped her hand to her cheek, "Oh my gosh, that poor little girl!" "It doesnt matter now! We need to find a way to make Nix talk." said Julius, worried and distracted by his sister's disappearance.

"Hey guys! Guess who I found out there! Jabberwalkie and Mr. Joker! And guess what else- they came with me!" Ace announced as he randomly walked into the room. Everybody glared at Ace...

Ace noticed the harsh glares and he blinked, still smiling like an idiot, "What did I miss?"

"Julie disappeared and you almost raped Nix!" yelled Alice, pointing at the knight accusingly.

"Hey calm down, you mean the game we were playing? Yeah, I scared her alot but it was only because I wanted to know if she had fur. But now I know she doesn't have fur and she does have claws!" said Ace, waving his hands in innocence.

"_W_h**At**!? _Y_o**U** t**O**u_Ch_Ed _th_E B**an**DEr_sN_aT_c_h?!" yelled the Jokers and Jaberwalkies in unison.

"What's so bad about it?" asked Ace, still smiling innocently.

"Show me where she scratched you!"demanded the Jester side of jabberwalkie. Ace shrugged and rolled up his sleeve, showing off the thin, pale scars on his forearm. Jester frowned and touched it delicately, "Ace...she cursed you. Now that the beldam is out there, she may be able to activate Nix's true form, and then she'll go in killer mode...and then you'll be the-!" before she could finish, she and her counter part coughed and spluttered violently.

"What do you mean?" asked Coraline, grabbing her shoulders and giving her a little shake.

"She'll try to activate our true forms and make Wonderland hers!" the Warden managed to spit between her coughing. Their hands flew to their chests, clutching at the fabric, "PleSE sTOp Her!"they screamed and disappeared just as Julie had before

The Joker's stared at the spot their sister had been moments before. "WHAT THE HELL?!" White turned to the others and growled, "What just happened?!" Coraline and the other's explained the situation as well as they could. Joker's (joker?) were (was?)...pissed, if we can settle for an understatement, but settled down to think of an idea with the others.

...The only course of action was to make Nix talk. but as they were thinking of how they would do that, they were interrupted by a soft tapping at the door.

Coraline cracked the door to see Nix standing at the threshold, looking tired scared and guilty. She looked up with eyes full of sadness, "I can't tell you anything about the Other Mother, but I'm sure this will help. Open it with the key and read it carefully." She handed Coraline a book made of pink leather and held shut with a strap and a gold lock. As Coraline took it, Nix scrambled into her pocket and pulled out a white rectangle, "And here's a note from her. I'm sorry...I can't do anymore. I don't want to make the punishment any worse."

As the note left her hand, Nix faded without so much as a word. Coraline stared in front of her, where Nix's small and delicate body had previously been, and gulped.

The twins rushed up to the blue headed girl, "...What should we do now?"

Nightmare pulled the children back to the center of the room, "Read the note."

Coraline gulped and tore open the letter franticly, unfolding the sheet to read it aloud. "...D*** useless children. Never send a little girl to do a woman's job. But I can assure you Coraline, that their punishment is most befitting of their disloyalty. And don't think that you can save them. I'm immortal, unstoppable. And nothing will stand in my way. With love, your Mother."

Everyone stared at each other in horror What in Wonderland could the Beldam have planned this time? For once, Ace was staying silent with a serious face.

"My God, those poor girls!" exclaimed Alice, on the brink of tears. Julius looked, shockingly, like he was about to explode from rage, "We need to destroy that thing!"

"IMOUTO! NIX, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Everyone froze as they heard Boris yelling around the tower. When he got to the door, he poked his head in and looked at everyone, in all their horror, anger, and sadness.

Feeling uncomfortable, Boris asked, "Have any of you seen Nix?" As calmly and delicately as she could, Coraline explained what happened since the Julie incident. Boris fumed and growled.

"So what do you suggest Nightmare?"asked Ace in a cold voice

The incubus pointed to the pink book in Coraline's hand, "I think we should do as Nix told us and open the book."


	10. diary, let the game begin

Coraline carefully unlocked and opened the book. She flipped through a few pages that seemed rather dull-a typical little girls diary. ...Until... she saw beautiful drawings of weapons made with needles and the key. Flipping a few pages, she found and read some text;

_I'm sure that someday this diary will help someone kill her! First, I'll explain how she appeared. One day, when I was really tired of the mafia vs park fights, I walked into the park trying to find shelter. The first thing I found was a small door with a black key just sitting there next to it, so I opened it up and entered into an amazingly amazing world, were all of my dreams came true, and everyone loved me. When I got out, I decided to show the door to my friends. They were skeptical at first, but I got them to look through. And then they weren't so skeptical anymore. So we went in that time, and had the time of our lives. But, the very next night, the third time we (I, as they had entered twice) entered, we forgot the key in the lock of the door, and we got locked in the Other world. And soon we noticed this wasn't as amazing as we thought it was... We were there for a long time. I'm not sure how long, but one day, I decided to investigate some things about the Beldam. She, of course, noticed this and took our clocks. Since then, we were forced to put doors in each territory and hide from our family and friends. As the victims entered, I watched them. I was always ready to attack her if necessary. Writing this without her knowing was difficult, but I manged to finish in time._

_Now that I explained how the doors came here, is what you have to do. Try to make the weapon in my drawings using the key and hide the latter so that she won't find it. Then enter the world and play a game with her. If you win, pull her eyes out and stab her in the heart (or at least where it should be) 10 times. That should destroy her and free everyone once and for all!_

They kept on staring at the drawings. Coraline had seen some pretty pictures in her time, but this was amazingly detailed. It was especially impressive considering it was the work of a little girl. "Boris, I hope you know that your sister is really smart, talented, and brave! How could she find out all this out with out being caught?" asked Coraline in awe.

"Hmm...hey Boris! Would you mind if I marry your sister?" asked Dee, Dum immediately getting furious. "No way Dee! She's mine!" yelled Dum. Boris promptly knocked their heads together, "None will marry her! You fools aren't worthy!" yelled Boris.

"Well, in that case...Mr. Joker, I'm going to marry your sister weather you like it or not!" said Ace with a giant grin. Snapping around to face the knight, Joker yelled venomously , "We WoULd liKe To SeE YoU TrY F***er!"

"Julius...I like your sister Julie." said Gray, awkwardly shifting and blushing like mad. "WHAT?!" yelled Julius.

"OK, BACK ON TRACK PEOPLE! WE NEED TO START THE PLAN!" yelled Coraline, Cat, and Alice (the last of which slammed her fists on a table).

Coraline sighed and rubbed her temples, "...Ok here's the plan. All of the roll holders that care for the girls who disappeared will enter the different doors on each territory. Once we all enter, we need to find the center of the world and start a game. A game where we will find the bodies, the clocks, and eyes of our friends."

Nightmare frowned, "Wait, what do you mean by eyes?"

"I've got a pretty good idea that was thair punishment." said Coraline with a shrug.

"Ok, we've got that all down...we should make a meeting! Get everyone here!" said Alice.

After the meeting, they all agreed in entering the doors of each territory. (time skip)

Nightmare, Julius and Gray gulped as they watched Coraline pull back a curtain, revealing a small door in the wall. Coraline whistled, "Those faceless have good, er...eyes...anyways, this is it." She turned to the other three, "Are you guys ready to save Julie and the others?" The trio nodded. Coraline gave them an encouraging smile, and slipped the black rusty key into the door, unlocking it.

Everybody gasped as she opened it, revealing a dirty, cobweb infested, mold-eaten toy littered hole. Julius didn't hesitate. He got down and crawled through, immediately followed by Gray.

As Nightmare stooped to go through the door, he turned back to look at all his fellow role holders and the beloved foreigners. He gave them a weak smile, "...You all be careful." Coraline nodded, "And good luck to all of you." And then, as Nightmare disappeared into the Other world, Coraline closed and locked the door behind them.

Meanwhile, at the Amusement park, the twins, Boris and Pierce entered the other door. Blood (yes, Blood hates the Jokers, but he is interested *cough*loves*cough* jester jabberwalkie) and the Jokers (Joker?), Ace(he likes the warden jabberwalkie lol) and Cat entered the door in the mansion. Once all the roll holders had passed their respective door, they saw a gothic version of the mansion. Screaming could be heard from within.

"MY EYES!" Everyone's eyes widened as they managed to identify the voice. It was Nix.

"Stop screaming. You're scaring our guests dear." scolded the sickenly sweet voice of the Other Mother.

"But I won't be able to see him again! You promised!"cried the girl. A loud crash mixed with another scream echoed.

The roll holders gathered at the door of the mansion and gulped before Blood reached out and knocked, feeling rather ridiculous for having to knock on the door of his own mansion (Other world copy or not).

"I'll be there in just a minute!" said the beldam in her sweet voice.

The door creaked open on it's own, showing the Wonderlander's into a foyer. When the Beldam tossed open the doors and entered the room where the roll holders and the outsiders were, she looked rather like Vivaldi's, but her hair was black, long and straight. She was wearing one of her typical, flamboyant dresses. And of course, she had shiny black buttons where her eyes should've been. But Coraline could see the evidence that these buttons were freshly sewn on-a result of their last encounter.

"Now my children are here to play? Ummm...interesting. You brought the roll holders" said the Beldam with a curious smile, pointed to the small crowd of men and woman.

Coraline stepped up, "Yes, we came here to play!"

"A game were we..."said Dum.

"will find the eyes..."said Dee

"clocks...and bodies..." said Alice

"of the roll holders that you stole!" said Coraline, pointing to the woman.

"Hmmm...sounds like fun...I accept the offer. If I win, Wonderland and all of you shall be mine! ...But if you somehow win...the traitors shall be free." said the beldam with a smirk.

"You know the rule! give us a hint!" ordered Coraline.

The Beldam sighed, "My My...well, in each of the other territories (not including this mansion) hides a treasure. Only the true love may be able to bring the bodies, the siblings can find the eyes, and their friends must find their clocks." She smiled as she turned to leave, but she paused at the door, "Oh, and remember to have fun children."

Coraline growled. "Ugh! That crusty old b***!" Everybody stared at her with their mouths on the floor and eyes like sausers.

"Ok, here's the f*** plan! Joker, Julius and Boris, you find the eyes, Blood and Ace find Jaberwalkie's bodies (body?), Pierce and bloody twins go and find Nix's body. Gray and Nightmare, go and find Julie's body (yes Nightmare, I read your diary, don't ask when). The rest of the roll holders go look for the clocks. Alice, Cat and I shall hide somewhere and start making the weapon!"

As Coraline stalked away and the other's started to disperse, Alice gave Black a punch in the shoulder, glaring at him harshly, "I blame you."

"What the hell B***!? I met the brat a few time changes ago!" yelled Black, rubbing his shoulder. Alice ignored him and walked with Coraline to a random shelter.


End file.
